ALLENDALE, Mich. (WOOD) — If there’s a team that can stop top-ranked Ashland and its 61-game winning streak, it could very well be Grand Valley State University.

The Lakers are coming off a 54-47 victory over Davenport last weekend, bringing their home record to 11-0 this season. It is a point of pride and a statistic that gives them confidence heading into the home showdown with the nation’s top ranked team in Division II.

“We definitely love our home crowd,” said sophomore guard Jenn DeBoer. “The band we have is awesome, just being on our home court brings a lot more energy.”

Head coach Mike Williams echoed the team’s love for playing in GVSU Fieldhouse.

“I think it’s a comfort feeling when you play at home, our players like to play at home,” Williams said. “I’m not so sure we shoot any better. There’s a little more pop in our step when we play at home.”

GVSU will need some pop in its step, as the Eagles are averaging almost 103 points per game through 24 victories this season. Defensively, they’ve allowed just over 60 points per contest.

“They’re in your face, they know they’re good. They play like that, they press, they make it hard for your guys to get across half court,” said senior forward Taylor Parmley. “Offensively they’re just dogs, they work.”

The previous four matchups between Ashland and GVSU have been decided by at least 14 points. That’s not typically a statistic any team would hang its hat on. However, the Lakers were the last team to hold Ashland under 100 points, which happened in their 83-67 defeat on Jan. 11.

“We’re looking at it as we have a chance to play the number one team in the country,” said Williams. “It’s a team we’ve had great battles with. I think our players are excited to compete.”

Tipoff is slated for 8 p.m. Thursday night. The men’s teams play earlier in the evening, starting the doubleheader at 6 p.m. at GVSU Fieldhouse.

“It’s good basketball, it’s two unbelievable teams,” said Williams. “It will be intense. Hopefully it will be as intense at it has been the last four times we’ve played.”

ALLENDALE, Mich. (WOOD) — West Michigan’s two Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference representatives met up for a Saturday night matchup on the hardwood.

Davenport traveled to Allendale to take on Grand Valley State University trailing the Lakers by just one game in the GLIAC standings with five games left in the season. Because Davenport won the teams’ first meeting this season, GVSU needed a win Friday to prevent the Panthers from owning the tiebreaker.

Despite 11 made three-pointers, GVSU was too much for Davenport, and came out with a 79-68 victory.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — Cornerstone University’s Kyle Steigenga shot his way into the history books Wednesday, breaking the record for most points scored by a Michigan collegiate basketball player.

“It was just a really, really special night,” Steigenga said after the game. “I had so many family members here, friends, all my teammates. It was just an incredible moment to share with everybody. I think it is going to take some time to set in because we are still in the end stretch of our season, we have a lot more things left to accomplish. I’m not going to forget this night, for sure. It was a lot of fun. Just got to make sure I soak up and enjoy all of it.

EAST LANSING, Mich. (WOOD) — Michigan State head basketball coach Tom Izzo stuck to the script at a press conference Wednesday night, expressing sympathy for sexual assault survivors but refusing to comment on accusations involving his players.

After the Spartans’ Wednesday home game against Penn State — which they won — Izzo started his press conference by drawing reporters’ attention to teal ribbons that players wanted to wear to show solidarity with sexual assault victims.

“It was led by the players to acknowledge the social inequities that we have,” Izzo, who also wore a ribbon on his lapel, said.

But when asked about the way a 2010 assault and sexual misconduct case against Walton was handled, Izzo was tight-lipped.

“I have great respect for the media … and you have the right to ask. Unfortunately, I have no additional comments. I’ve given my comments. I have no additional ones,” he said.

He repeated the line he used in a Sunday press conference:

“I will cooperate with the investigation as I always have with any investigation,” he said. “And that’s all I have to say about that.”

Also asked about former MSU and USA Gymnastics sports doctor Larry Nassar, whose sexual assault case sparked ESPN’s investigation, and a 2010 rape case against Appling and Payne, Izzo said now is not the time for comment, but did not rule out saying more later.

“There will be a time when I’ll be able to speak, but it isn’t right now,” he said. “There’s too many things going on with the survivors and everything.”

KALAMAZOO, Mich. (WOOD) — Western Michigan men’s basketball closed out a tight game against Northern Illinois Saturday afternoon, defeating the Huskies 79-72 at University Arena in Kalamazoo.

NIU’s Lacey James, who played his high school basketball at Wayland Union, scored six points in 23 minutes of action. James had a large contingent of family and friends on hand to watch him play against the Broncos.

The usual suspects helped push Western to a win.

Thomas Wilder netted 25 in the victory for the Broncos. Four other players scored in double figures for Western Michigan, including Josh Davis, Bryce Moore, Brandon Johnson, and Drake Lamont. They added 15, 11, 13, and 12 points respectively.

The win improves WMU’s record to 12-9 overall and 4-4 in the MAC. Western returns to action Tuesday when it travels to face Eastern Michigan. Tip-off is at 7 pm.

“We knew he was going to be a great player coming in,” said head coach Kim Elders. “I didn’t know he’d be this high of a scorer.”

The senior forward has 2,766 points, trailing only Jared Crandell for the top mark in school history with 2,772.

“I remember my Grandpa before we even stepped foot on campus asked me what the record was,” said Kyle Steigenga, ” I said, ‘Oh I don’t have a chance to break that.'”

Steigenga was wrong about that. By maintaining his season average, he would break the mark during Saturday’s contest against Madonna.

He also could become the most prolific college score the state of Michigan has ever seen, breaking the mark of 2,858 points Dominez Burnett set at Davenport.

“It’s unfathomable, that many points. He could go over 2,900 points,” said Elders. “That’s never been accomplished here in the state of Michigan.”

His teammates are enjoying the ride too.

“We always make fun of him that we’re not going to pass him the ball anymore,” said junior Sam Vander Sluis. “He’s going to have to take the ball down the court himself to break the record.”

When it comes down to it, his teammates couldn’t be happier for a player they respect a great deal.

“He doesn’t really care about these records and all of that,” said senior Michael Bradshaw. “Most importantly, he cares about our team.”

Elders shared the support for his senior scorer.

“Terrific record for a terrific young man,” Elders said. “No one deserves it more than he does.”

When all is said and done at season’s end, Steigenga hopes the chatter has more to do with a national championship than the points he’s scored in his career.

“Raising a national championship banner last so much longer than breaking a record,” said Steigenga. “That’s really what ultimately matters in the end. It’s not about the points, it’s about our team and how well we’ve been able to do.”

“Terrific record for a terrific young man,” added Elders. “No one deserves it more than he does.”

Vander Sluis became the 42nd player in Golden Eagles history to eclipse 1,000 points in his career.

His teammate, senior Kyle Steigenga, was also chasing school history. Steigenga began the night 20 points shy of breaking the school’s all-time scoring mark. He scored six points in the first half before adding seven in the second half to finish with 13 points. He’s now seven points short of the mark held by Jared Crandell (2,772).

Steigenga will likely break the school mark Saturday afternoon when the Golden Eagles host Madonna at 3 p.m.

WALKER, Mich. (WOOD) — Grand Valley State University’s basketball programs are holding their second “Downtown Thursday Nights” event of the season this week at the DeltaPlex in Walker.

The Lakers play host to Lake Superior State, with the action tipping off with the women’s teams at 6 p.m., followed by the men at 8 p.m.

“It’s a great environment to play out here in the DeltaPlex,” said Myles Miller, GVSU senior guard. “It’s good to know I’m playing on the same floor as potentially professional players that are going to play in the NBA. I think that’s huge.”

The coaches expressed support for the event as well.

“It’s just different. At this level you’re always looking for ways to enhance your guys experience as players,” said Ric Wesley, head men’s basketball coach. “We’re in Grand Rapids and a great area. Some of the teams in our league can’t do this. We thought it was a good idea and hopefully something we can take advantage and try to grow and build on.”

Both the men and women’s teams come in on a roll.

The women’s team is 14-3 overall and has won seven of its last eight games. The Lakers’ only setback was a loss to top-ranked Ashland.

Men’s basketball is experiencing a similar run, winning six of its last seven games. That stretch has allowed the Lakers to improve their overall record to 9-8.

“We changed some of our strategy. We’re playing a little more of a pass and cut offense now,” said Wesley. “It’s helped us. We’re not turning the ball over nearly as much as we were in the beginning of the year. We’re maximizing our opportunities on the offensive end. Our offensive efficiency has really risen in the last month or so.”

The Wolverines (15-4, 4-2 Big Ten) have won eight of nine games this season and two straight against their rivals.

The Spartans (16-3, 4-2) are struggling, losing two of three games with an overtime win over Rutgers in between the setbacks.

Zavier Simpson made a go-ahead layup with 14:28 left, the 13th lead change in an intense game with 11 ties. He helped the Wolverines pull away in the final minutes with enough free throws to keep a cushion. Simpson finished with 16 points, taking advantage of a game plan that called for him and his teammates to drive toward the basket against a shot-blocking team.

Michigan State’s Miles Bridges had 19 points, six rebounds, five assists and two steals. Bridges gave up the ball four times as one of many turnover-prone Spartans. Michigan scored 26 points off Michigan State’s 18 turnovers.

Jaren Jackson had 19 points and six blocks, limited by foul trouble for the Spartans.

BIG PICTURE

Michigan: The Wolverines proved they can compete with, and beat, the Big Ten’s best teams this week. They lost by only one point at home Tuesday against No. 5 Purdue. Instead of shooting a lot of 3-pointers, they are taking the ball to the basket to set up long shots and force teams to defend them all over the court.

Michigan State: The Spartans will get a five-day break before playing again and they need time to figure out what has gone relatively wrong. They had won 14 straight, ending with a 30-point win over Maryland, before a lopsided loss at Ohio State, an overtime win against Rutgers and a closely contested game against Michigan in which they often looked confused on offense and porous on defense.

The Dutch trailed by as many as 14 in the first half. In the second half, trailing by 12 and the shot clock winding down, Dante Hawkins hit a three-pointer fading into his own bench. That sparked the comeback. Hawkins had 21 points.

With the game tied at 69, Hope’s Dennis Towns threw up a high-arcing jumper that banked in to beat the shot clock. The home crowd erupted and the Dutch never trailed to the final buzzer.